1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to skid-resistant floor surfaces and other surfaces, for example, to floor plates provided with anti-skid tread surfaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
Slip-resistant floors or floors or other surfaces with improved traction are needed in a variety of environments, including workplaces, recreational facilities, industrial facilities, factories, ships, barges, offshore drilling rigs, rescue vehicles, military environments and vehicles, and residential dwellings. Floors made of metal plates are routinely used in industrial manufacturing plants, on drilling platforms, ladders, catwalks, ramps, and other areas where people are required to walk where water or other fluids and other materials are routinely spilled or intentionally placed on the floor surface, and/or there is a need to be able to clean the floor surface using high-powered washing equipment and the like. Particularly when such metal floors are wet, they can be dangerous to walk on because there is little or no traction under a person's feet. To increase traction and reduce accidents, most industrial metal floors are provided with raised stamped surface patterns called floor plate as is shown in FIG. 1. These types of floors can still be dangerous when covered with grease or oil or other liquids, or during and after weather conditions producing rain, snow, sleet, and ice.
There are many different methods that have been tried to increase traction and reduce accidents in a variety of situations. The patent of Dean (U.S. Pat. No. 1,176,436) provides an antislipping two-part tread structure having a case-hardened button base with a flange and drain passages extending down to the base. An anchoring stud with a flange engages the base, with a tapered lower shank and anvil head, driven through a previously formed opening in a sidewalk or the like.
The stamped tread plate of Mullaney et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,181,440) has an upstanding extruded flange with a gulleted edge and draining openings around the flanges. The safety tread of Farmer (U.S. Pat. No. 791,017) includes sockets with an upstanding wall around each socket, filled with plugs of anti-slipping material held in with inwardly-projecting lugs.
Traction grip plates for use under tires include those of Becker (U.S. Pat. No. 2,486,911) in which a sheet metal plate is punched to make protruberances, extending both upward and downward; Peterson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,670) which is a ribbed traction mat for vehicles with cup-like cleats riveted to the mat; and Jacobs (U.S. Pat. No. 3,425,624) made of flexible elongated strips having metal cleats on them.
Modules containing open cells with upwardly protruding edges but used to support weight loads and traffic in areas such as turfgrass areas include those of Mascaro (U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,585); Hill (U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,942) and Lee (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 442,704).
The prior anti-skid and traction devices either are not useful on industrial floor surface or are complicated to install or make, generally being multi-part devices, and they alter the structural integrity of the surface. Having a multi-part structure, for example when a traction device is bolted or attached to the floor with a second attachment piece, may increase the possibility of the traction device becoming unattached and creating a dangerous situation in an industrial environment.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a one-piece safety cleat, for use in improving traction on floor surfaces or any surface, that is simple to make and easy to install on an already installed floor or other surface and not alter structural integrity of the floor or other surfaces (for example, by requiring holes to be made in the surface). It is a further object of the invention to provide a one-piece safety cleat that is durable, can be easily attached or installed or manufactured on new floor, can be customized to fit any surface, including surfaces of any thickness, and when properly attached provides a floor surface that is slip-resistant in wet, muddy, icy or chemical or oily conditions.
Other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.